Waugh headlines CA XI for U19s tournament

Victoria's Will Sutherland will captain the Cricket Australia XI at this year's Under 19 National Championships in Adelaide, with the team announced last night in Brisbane.

The 14-player Cricket Australia XI squad, comprising the best players at the 2016-17 Under 17 National Championships, was selected based on talent identification during the two-week tournament on the Sunshine Coast and in Brisbane.

National Talent Manager Greg Chappell announced the squad at the presentation night at The Gabba.

Quick Single: Live - CA XI take on NSW

"This is a great reward for some fanTastic individual performers across the two weeks at the Under 17 National Championships," Chappell said.

"The squad we've selected has plenty of talent, and we believe it's a really well-balanced side which will be extremely competitive at the Under 19 National Championships in Adelaide in December.

"Nine of the ten teams are represented in this squad, which highlights the spread of talent we've witnessed from right across the country."

Allrounder Sutherland – who captained Victoria Metro at the Championships – will lead a side with an abundance of highly-rated young players.

Player of the Championships and leading run-scorer Angus Lovell, from Queensland, is in the side, as is leading wicket-taker Lloyd Pope, from South Australia, and Player of the Final Austin Waugh.

Quick Single: Waugh ton leads NSW Metro to U17s title

Waugh's unbeaten 122 led New South Wales Metro to National Championships Victory against Queensland in the final at Allan Border Field on Thursday.

The champions have four representatives – the most of any side – including title-winning skipper Joel Foster, while NSW Blues and Sydney Thunder rookie Jason Sangha – who represented ACT/NSW Country at the Championships – makes it five NSW products in the squad.

Sutherland said it was an honour – and a surprise – to be named captain.

"It's an awesome feeling, I was a bit surprised to be honest with Victoria Metro finishing as we did, but I guess I did enough leading the boys, so I'm really happy," Sutherland said.

"They seem like a good bunch of blokes, I came across most of them during the week, so I've seen a bit of what they can do. I'm really looking forward to Adelaide.

"It's going to be a big challenge, so I'm going to have to do a lot of training and preparation for the tournament, but I'm looking forward to that challenge."

CA XI Squad: Will Sutherland (Vic Metro, capt), Iain Carlisle (NSW Metro), Jack Edwards (NSW Metro), Zak Evans (Vic Metro), Joel Foster (NSW Metro), Jarrod Freeman (Tas), Mackenzie Harvey (CA XI – Victoria), Angus Lovell (Qld), Darcy Marsh (Qld), Lloyd Pope (SA), Patrick Rowe (Vic Country), Jason Sangha (CT/NSW Country), Emile van der Merwe (WA), Austin Waugh (NSW Metro). Standby players: Shubham Bhargave (Vic Metro), Lachlan Prince (Qld), Matthew Willans (Qld).

Player of the Championships: Angus Lovell, Qld

Leading run-scorer: Angus Lovell, Qld – 489 runs at 69.86

Leading wicket-taker: Lloyd Pope, SA – 18 wickets at 14.67

Most dismissals: Baxter Holt, NSW Metro – 10 catches, 5 stumpings